I'm so so sorry for not updating in ages. I could come with excuses- but you probably don't care about those so I'll just get to the chapter- and so… speaking about that I use the word 'so' way too much. So… (See? I did it again)… I'll try and get better on that point. Here's your chapter.
"Jack is such a jerk." Lex told me when I sat on the floor in her room on Friday afternoon- I hadn't been in school on Thursday or Friday and we were catching up- which meant that I told her every single detail of how much I hated Jackie McCall. "How are you holding up?" I shrugged, and spun a tress of my hair around my fingers while thinking and wondering about what to answer.
"I guess I'm alright. I've really been sleeping a lot since… well, you know. I don't remember much of anything for a while and dad says I might have had a chock of some kind. But now I just… I kind of just want to prove that I'm stronger than him. I can't really find the right words…" I scratched Ariel's head through her thick fur. "It's fascinating isn't it…" I scooted even closer to Ariel and she put her head in my lap. "…People are people and understands your words- but dogs are dogs and they just seem to… know. I'm not making any sense am I?"
"Yes you are." Lex laid down on her bed and stared up into the ceiling. "I know that feeling… and sometimes it really feels good that they can't understand whatever words we can find… there's no way to feel wrong. But you can say wrong that's for sure…"
"You and I have got so deep conversations every once in a while."
Lex just giggled at my statement lighting up the mood. I smiled too- but just didn't feel like laughing. We could hear Burt and Carole working with something in the kitchen and I couldn't help but to keep on smiling.
"Life goes on…" I mumbled to myself. "No matter what happens."
"Speak louder, I can't hear what you're saying."
"Nothing." I sighed. "I was just being my usual poetic self." My tone had gone sarcastic. "And I heard there was something with Teeghan and Valentine 's Day." I quickly changed the subject before Lex had started nagging that she wanted to read my poems. "Is that just a rumor… I can imagine her doing something weird though."
"It's not just a rumor- she did. You know the day we were at Johnsdale Prison?"
Lex started telling me. And when she did I actually did remember Teeghan and one of what must have been the youngest guys stuck in the prison looking to each other. And obviously- Teeghan, out of everyone, had fallen in love. In prison of all places. And sang a song about it in glee club. I was starting to wonder why on earth this did or didn't surprise me…
"And now that guy is out of prison. And it doesn't really matter that I hate Teeghan… I'm worried about her… I don't know if it's true but I heard that Walden- guy abused someone…" I nodded slightly not knowing what to say. "Although I guess it's not really our thing to worry about I… You know… God why do I always have to make it about me?"
"You don't honey." I flinched- I hadn't heard Carole come into the room until she spoke to us. "And no one expects you to react otherwise if you know someone's at risk of getting abused." Lex smiled, but it looked as of more of a grimace. "Do you want to stay here until tomorrow Leah? We're thinking about just ordering pizza for dinner…. And you're no burden. It's great fun having you around."
I smiled again- it always seemed like Carole thought that I would believe her if she said that enough times. And I wished I could have… I really wished but…
"Earth to Leah Carmichael come on…" I returned to reality and shook my head so my hair flew around me. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, fine." I answered a bit too quickly. "Staying would be… uhm…" I glanced to Carole, still hesitating. But maybe… maybe she was telling me the truth when she'd say it was great fun to be around… maybe she wouldn't say anything if she didn't like it. "Actually that sounds great…" I told them, but beat myself up inside- I was such a burden. It didn't matter what they would say. "Can I go home and get some stuff and leave Ari here?"
Geez Leah Carmichael! You're making it even worse. Why would they want to take care of your dog?
"Of course you can." Carole answered me- and it really sounded as if she thought so. "You'll stay here with us… oh won't you Ari…" she kneeled and Ariel started licking her cheeks and neck. "I might kidnap you before Leah comes back won't I? I love you so much." She was talking in the same silly voice as if you're talking to a baby. "Okay Leah." She pushed Ariel away and stood up. "Yeah, I finally learnt that… What sort of pizza do you want? We'll order when you're on your way."
"Be quick." Lex stated as I was on my way out the door. "I'm hungry."
"Lex." Carole scolded jokingly and laughed. "Don't be so rude."
When I continued down the stairs and outside I kind of wanted to run back and get Ari. Or force someone to walk with me. The road home wasn't long. Not at all, but it somehow felt empty and alone when I was walking as quickly as I could down the street and didn't have Ari with me. I had never had a problem with being alone or anything but feeling like that I just needed and wanted to get away from it and I didn't want to be alone I needed to…
"Dad." I had almost ran the last bit home and dad was in the hallway untying his shoelaces coming home from work. He looked up and smiled, and I had meant to say a very short, very simple 'I need a hug' but well there I couldn't say anything. "It's nothing."
"It doesn't look like nothing" Dad raised from being kneeled and laid a hand on my shoulder- a simple touch that made me feel less alone. "What is it Leigh… You kno…" He didn't get any further when his phone called. "One second… Carmichael. Oh, hey." Dad seemed happy but kind of serious when he heard who it was. I looked up- Jack? His parents? "Dr. Dylan? What gives us the honor? Do you want to talk to Jonah? No? Hold on a second." Dad suddenly hurried out of the room and while we could hear him continue to talk in the bedroom- we couldn't hear the words he was saying.
"Wow." Jonah just shrugged while I walked into the living room where he and mum sat by the table. I should have started packing my stuff, but something only kept me from doing it while I listened to Jonah's statements. "I'm eighteen now you know. Maybe if Dr. Dylan called, he would want to speak to me for a change… Although Dr. Dylan shouldn't call anymore since he's a children's doctor" He stared right in front of him with an expression as if he was wondering about the questions he had just spoken but then shrugged again and seemed to let it go.
"Guys" dad suddenly came rushing into the room. "It seems like… it seems like… it seems like…"
"What? Dad?" Jonah seemed even more confused than dad- over the fact that dad was confused obviously. "Did something happen? Was it the doctor? Did they…"
"Jonah… you know how your… how you're the only one born with…" Dad was having trouble finding the right words. "Your heart…"
"You mean how they named my heart disease after me plus the fact that they didn't know what to do about it when I was little because there had never been another…. Another… what? What happened?"
"There is another baby… It… HE was born about two months ago and yes… it's looking like it through somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody who knows Dr. Dylan and it turns out yes… this baby… I didn't catch his name… have probably got Carmichael Syndrome and he was born in… wow… he was born in America… about two months ago… I already said that and in… I didn't really catch it but somewhere in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina… or something and now… they want us to come and they want to take new tests and this time around since he isn't the first they might… they might…"
"They might know what to do from the beginning." Jonah was just as calm and down to earth and talking about this stuff as he always was. "So this baby can live and get old like any child without a heart disease… is that what you mean?"
"Yes?"
"Well then… What are we waiting for? LET'S GO"
Playlist
Teeghan's song- Criminal- Britney Spears
Well- summary. Leah is trying to get over Jack but keeps on feeling lonely. Teeghan might be in love with a guy that could possibly have been in prison for abusing someone. They're not sure but appearently and obviously it's rearing up memories for Lex- that's understandable! While it ends with Leah trying to act like nothing when she's really feeling lonelier than ever and then there seems to be another kid with Carmichael's syndrome… And the rest… you'll have to wait and see.
Random fact
You know, in school I studied to a nurse (enrolled nurse but that doesn't really matter) I never really got on with working as one but that doesn't matter neither. Anyway, I was there when I started this story and was planning for Jonah's heart and all of that. And I asked all of my nursing teachers what he could have, explaining the symptoms and asked what it could be. But none of it just fit so I ended up with making up my own and calling it Carmichael Syndrome- well… 'shrugs'… it kind of worked… didn't it?
